HM Treasury

Financial Ombudsman Service: Annual Report and Accounts

Lord O'Neill of Gatley: My honourable friend the Economic Secretary to the Treasury (Harriett Baldwin) has today made the following Written Ministerial Statement.The Annual Report and Accounts 2014/15 of the Financial Ombudsman Service has today been laid before Parliament.   The Report forms an important part of the accountability mechanisms for the Financial Ombudsman Service under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA), and assesses the performance of the Financial Ombudsman Service over the past 12 months in discharging its functions. 


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ECOFIN: 14 July 2015

Lord O'Neill of Gatley: My right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer (George Osborne) has today made the following Written Ministerial Statement. A meeting of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council will be held in Brussels on 14 July 2015. Ministers are due to discuss the following items: Current Legislative Proposals The Presidency will inform delegations about the state of play of current legislative proposals in the field of financial services. Presentation of the work programme of the Luxembourg Presidency The Luxembourg Presidency will present its six-month work programme in the ECOFIN area and invite an exchange of views. Five Presidents' Report: Completing Europe's Economic and Monetary Union The Commission and the Eurogroup President will present the Five Presidents’ report on the plan for completing Europe’s Economic and Monetary Union. 


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Home Office

Triennial Review of the Security Industry Authority

Lord Bates: My rt hon Friend the Minister of State for Policing, Crime and Criminal Justice and Victims (Mike Penning) has today made the following Written Ministerial Statement:I am today announcing the first triennial review of the Security Industry Authority, part of the Government’s commitment to ensuring that public bodies continue to have regular independent challenge. The review will focus on examining whether the SIA is operating efficiently and whether its control and governance arrangements continue to meet the recognised principles of good corporate governance. I will inform the House of the outcome of the review when it is completed.


This statement has also been made in the House of Commons: 
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Gangmasters Licensing Authority – Annual Report and Accounts 2014-15

Lord Bates: My hon Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Karen Bradley) has today made the following Written Ministerial Statement:The 2014-15 Annual Report and Accounts for the Gangmasters Licensing Authority are being laid before the House today and published on www.gov.uk. Copies will be available in the Vote Office.


This statement has also been made in the House of Commons: 
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Ministry of Defence

LYNX ZF540 - Findings of Service Inquiry

Earl Howe: My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and Minister for Defence Personnel and Veterans (Mr Mark Lancaster) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. I wish to inform the House of the findings of the Service Inquiry into the accident involving an Army Lynx helicopter (Mark 9A variant) on 26th April 2014, in which Captain Thomas Clarke, Flight Lieutenant Rakesh Chauhan, Warrant Officer Class 2 Spencer Faulkner, Corporal James Walters and Lance Corporal Oliver Thomas tragically died. On the day of the accident, the aircraft was conducting a training sortie when it crashed approximately 20 km south of Kandahar Airfield in the Chaghray Ghar Valley, Afghanistan. A Service Inquiry was convened by the Director General of the Military Aviation Authority (now the Director General of the Defence Safety Authority as of 1 April 2015) to establish the cause and examine those factors which contributed to the accident, and in order to make recommendations to prevent a recurrence and enhance Air Safety. The Service Inquiry Panel has conducted an independent, thorough and objective Inquiry and their report is now complete. Copies have already been provided to the Next of Kin, HM Coroner for Oxfordshire and relevant personnel and units in Defence to ensure the timely dissemination of the Air Safety lessons contained within it. A copy of the Service Inquiry Report, redacted in accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, is also being placed in the Library of the House today and on the gov.uk website. Our deepest sympathies remain with the families of those who lost their lives in this tragic accident.

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary Inspection of the Royal Military Police

Earl Howe: My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and Minister for Defence Personnel and Veterans (Mr Mark Lancaster) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.  I wish to inform the House that I am laying today, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Defence, the first report from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary Inspection of the Royal Military Police. This is the first report as directed within the Armed Forces Act 2011, which requires Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Constabulary to inspect, and report to the Secretary of State, on the independence and effectiveness of investigation carried out by each service police force. The Royal Military Police were the first to be inspected in October 2014. I consider this report to be very positive and provides assurance from an independent civilian authority that, on the whole, the leadership of the Royal Military Police is good. Ten recommendations have been made for improvement, in particular concerning crime recording and monitoring the effectiveness of investigations. The Army are implementing an action plan to address the recommendations. Copies of the report will be available in the Vote Office and Printed Paper Office.

Ministry of Justice

Triennial Review of the Civil Justice Council and Family Justice Council

Lord Faulks: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice, Minister for Women, Equalities and Family Justice (Caroline Dinenage) has made the following Written Statement."On 4 November 2013 the Triennial Review of the Civil Justice Council (CJC) and Family Justice Council (FJC) was announced in Parliament. I am pleased to announce the conclusion of the Review and publication of the report today. Stage one of the Review concluded that both the CJC and FJC should continue to exist as an NDPB and that there is a continuing need for the functions of both councils. Stage two reviewed the control and governance arrangements of the CJC and FJC in order to consider whether both bodies are complying with recognised principles of good corporate governance. This Review has resulted in a small number of recommendations to drive greater transparency and encourage diversity in membership of the councils, particularly of the CJC. The Review was publicised on my Department’s website and stakeholders were invited to contribute through a Call for Evidence. A Critical Friends Group ensured a robust approach to the Review and provided comment and challenge on the conclusions. I am grateful to all who contributed to the Triennial Review. The final report has been placed in the libraries of both Houses."


This statement has also been made in the House of Commons: 
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